In its simplest form, righteous is “right living” or “living rightly.”
Today’s society encourages us to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. Therefore, each person has his or her own definition of what it is to be righteous. This view is not biblically supported.
The Bible’s view of righteous is more defined. In a literal sense, no one is truly and completely righteous. Jesus is the exception, as he was the personification of righteousness (1 John 2:1). When we follow Jesus, we, however, are viewed by God as being righteous (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The Amplified Bible explains righteousness as “upright and in right standing with God.”
Compare to holy.
Key verse about Righteous: The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation” (Genesis 7:1, NIV).
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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